Don Goodman's blunder made him the Motherwell villain and ensured the heroics of Andy Goram were unable to halt Celtic's title charge at Parkhead.

With a scrappy match deadlocked on 64 minutes after several incredible Goram saves, Goodman's needless challenge on substitute Harald Brattbakk offered Celtic's championship hopes a lifeline.

Henrik Larsson duly converted from the spot for his 38th goal of a remarkable season to draw Celtic to within three points of Scottish Premier League leaders Rangers, who travel to Dundee on Sunday.

The game was a stormy affair for long periods with Motherwell especially guilty of some senseless fouling which might well have received harsher punishment from referee Jim McCluskey.

This was Celtic's 13th consecutive Parkhead win in all competitions and extends their unbeaten run to 17 matches but Paul Lambert, Johan Mjallby and Larsson went off injured during a fierce contest.

The negative mood was set before kick-off as a minute's silence for the tenth anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster was marred by shouting which saw at least one individual ejected.

Goram was withdrawn from the clubs' last meeting on February 21, won 7-1 by Celtic at Fir Park, because of reports which he firmly denies, linking him with Northern Ireland terrorist groups.

There was never any question of the former Scotland keeper not playing today. He was abused from the outset with his every touch jeered by the home support, but he ignored it all to perform superbly.

Goram's Celtic counterpart Stewart Kerr was making his first start of the season following Jonathan Gould's shoulder injury in the 4-2 midweek win at Hearts.

Celtic's first chance fell to captain Tom Boyd who, after exchanging passes with Mark Viduka, dragged his effort well off target.

Vidar Riseth, restored to midfield with Jackie McNamara injured, managed a fine cross from the right after 18 minutes which fell invitingly to Tosh McKinlay, but his strike lacked power.

Goram was to this point untested, but he was came up with a double save that ranks alongside his best in a Rangers jersey after a Viduka burst earned a 23rd minute corner.

From the flag kick, McKinlay unleashed a 20-yard drive blocked by Goram, the rebound went to 37-goal Larsson, but the close-range tap-in was somehow blocked one-handed by the keeper.

Larsson then directed a McKinlay corner just over before another controversial moment divided the dug-outs as Riseth refused to put the ball out of play with Michael Doesburg grounded in the area.

Twice the Norwegian crossed from the right with Motherwell defenders pointing at their colleague, with Celtic even claiming a penalty, not given, for an alleged Jamie McGowan handball.

Mjallby became the second Celtic player to be replaced injured after 33 minutes - Paul Lambert had gone off earlier - when Brattbakk stepped into an unfamiliar midfield role after a reshuffle.

An already stormy encounter took a further twist three minutes later when Doesburg went down under challenge from Larsson, prompting visiting manager Billy Davies to exchange words with the Swede.

Play continued with a Simo Valakari elbow into the face of Regi Blinker only punished with a booking, following which Doesburg felt recovered enough to return to the fray only to suffer a head wound.

Goram produced a second remarkable save in first-half injury time when after Boyd crossed from the right, the keeper tipped over a powerful goal-bound header from Larsson.

Riseth surged forward from his centre-half berth after the restart to fire a 25-yard drive against the woodwork with Goram beaten.

He was alert again moments later, however, when the otherwise quiet Craig Burley found time and space before managing a shot which Goram pushed wide of goal.

Much as before the break, there were still a series of petty on-field conflicts, Riseth and Goodman were both booked after a pushing contest after 62 minutes.

Just as Celtic's frustration was rising they were gifted a penalty when Goodman barged into Brattbakk, who was running away from goal, allowing Larsson to slot the ball in from the spot.

Goram was not yet finished though as he again found his best to claw away an eight-yard shot from Viduka when the Australian was free inside the area.

Kerr was briefly called into action to keep out substitute Stevie Nicholas' effort, but there was always the sense one Celtic goal would be enough and so it proved courtesy of Goodman's error.

Teams

Celtic: Kerr, Annoni, Riseth, Mjallby (Brattbakk 33), Boyd, Burley, Lambert (Wieghorst 21), Blinker, McKinlay,Larsson (Burchill 88), Viduka.

Subs Not Used: Corr, Marshall.

Booked: Mjallby, Riseth.

Goals: Larsson 63 pen.

Motherwell: Goram, McGowan, Teale, McMillan, Gower (Nicholas 61), Valakari, McCulloch, Doesburg (Craigen 46), Brannan, Goodman, Spencer, Craigen (Adams 64).

Subs Not Used: Bannister, Nevin.

Booked: Valakari, McCulloch, Goodman, Nicholas, McGowan.

Att: 59,588

Ref: J McCluskey (Stewarton).